60+ years re-union

[mvgrogan]

I was part of the merger in 85 - finishing my O Levels at Hertford and starting my A Levels at Horsham... I never wore yellow socks (and I was glad of that!). I think we had school supplied beige stockings (bring your own garter belt - down JR!) or bring your own grey or beige tights - I could be wrong, Vonny or Kirri might remember better than me. The decision for senior girls to NOT wear the yellow sock was probably made around the same time as the decision for the girls NOT to wear yellow hats!! They were bright yellow over-sized beret-type things that were universally vetoed as soon as we were shown the possibilities for our new uniform to "match" the boys! The lacy bands (daily) went shortly after the move, when someone had a mishap in a science lab!!

I'm sure I wore tights cos the housey coats (which we begged to be allowed to wear the first winter!) used to badly damage the tights at the ankles. Does anyone else remember - were we issued American Tan tights at Hertford? I certainly never wore "lacy nothings"!!!!

I loved wearing the housey coats - real comfy and warm - the rest of the uniform was certainly NOT flattering. I also loved wearing my grey at Hertford (vaguely flattering!) - if I could I would have kept one of those! I do still have a BA - having gained it by the skin of my teeth - I wasn't letting that go! I also have my sixes house tie.

Do the girls still have cloaks? I think that's what we had before we demanded the housey coats!



Lovely photo! Shame I won't be at OB Day to meet you Neill - I would really like that! However, it's a bit too far to travel this year!

[Fjgrogan]

On the subject of uniform - I think I remember having to buy grey tights in a particular make and shade of grey after the merger, but cannot remember whether it was for both girls or just for Maria - she would have been a Dep and Kirri still a junior then.

Re Old Blues' Day - Grogan clan will be represented (DV) by myself and Kirri.

[Vonny]

I was part of the merger in 85 -... I never wore yellow socks (and I was glad of that!). I think we had school supplied beige stockings (bring your own garter belt - down JR!) or bring your own grey or beige tights - I could be wrong, Vonny or Kirri might remember better than me. I'm sure I wore tights cos the housey coats (which we begged to be allowed to wear the first winter!) used to badly damage the tights at the ankles. Does anyone else remember - were we issued American Tan tights at Hertford?

I remember wearing yellow socks for "special" occasions, but for daily wear it was tights I think (grey?). I think you are rights and we had to bring our own

At Hertford I don't even remember wearing tights - just those vile coloured socks.

Do the girls still have cloaks? I think that's what we had before we demanded the housey coats!

Rings a bell, although I definitely don't recall actually wearing one

[Mrs C.]

There have certainly been a few cloaks in circulation in recent years - my daughter managed to get hold of one at one point and she really liked it - and it was easy to put over her head when it rained!
I`ve not seen any for a while - maybe Barnes mum knows more??

[J.R.]

burkha's and 'frillies'...... Now THERES a thought !

[Momto2]

DD tells me that cloaks are available if required (rain etc) but make the uniform very bulky and heavy (and straight out of Hogwarts)!

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Once again, (As ever) I find myself Boggled !

Of course we, of the pre-Merger vintage cannot imagine the luxuries of Macs, Cloaks, Tights, or other variations on the Uniform ------ I can see the reasons --- and I suppose the current Fellers, would like their female Collegues to look less like Pantomime Dames !! ------- (Red polka-dot knickers ??) ---

[J.R.]

Now we know Neill's secrest 'passion', as in 'killers' !

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Only in Khaki as worn by the ATS --- but you are too young to know JR !!

[Barnes Mum]

There have certainly been a few cloaks in circulation in recent years - my daughter managed to get hold of one at one point and she really liked it - and it was easy to put over her head when it rained!
I`ve not seen any for a while - maybe Barnes mum knows more??

There are still a few around but they are not part of the issued uniform anymore. Some houses have held onto a few for the girls when the weather is particularly bad. (I am not sure that the Wardrobe are aware of this though!) We don't have any, our girls just have to run or get soaked - and they have the furthest to walk!

[J.R.]

Only in Khaki as worn by the ATS --- but you are too young to know JR !!

Thankfully !!!

(I have seen a pair - In a museum, if memory serves !)

[wurzel]

from memory

when merger first happened girls wore a dark tunic and short skirts for normal with ankle length for Best. The jabot's were small for normal and ridiculously large for girls with their buttons. They all wore yellow socks for best but seniors wore grey(ish) tights for normal. There were waist length cloaks for bad weather.

This was also the time that the wardrobe stopped issuing shoes and we had to provide own pj's and towels although mine lasted and i still have a school towel to this day.

After a year or so the cloaks disappeared and the girls got coats the jabot's also were replaced by bands meaning that you got to the situation where in half housey boys and girls uniform looked reasonably similar.

Don't know if this will work but here is a link to the 1989 leavers facebook group photo of school monitors with big jabot and yellow socks
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pho ... =751499413

[Angela Woodford]

Oh!

Those lace jabots look like the skirts of those doll loo-roll disguisers that used be be popular in the cloakrooms of the genteel and ultra refined!

They look a bit tricky for the surreptitious smoker too - imagine if one had burst into flames!

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

JR --- Never judge a book by it's cover !!

[Vonny]

imagine if one had burst into flames!

I think that was why they binned them & we went ovet to bands They were hideous. And I only wore the small ones. They were very itchy.